them, passed three times under the bridge, and returned. The spirit of emulation was excited, and its triumph was, when the six oared boat could bump, as we called it, the one with eight oars, which preceded it; the one with four oars, that with six; and sometimes a small skiff, with two good oarsmen, would give chase to, and drive forward the whole. On the occasion to which I particularly allude, the afterwards celebrated Mr. Grey, was cockswain of our boat; he was too delicate in constitution to take an oar; to the Philadelphians, it may not be unpleasant to mention, that he resembled, at that time, in every respect, a young gentleman whom I had the pleasure of receiving as a pupil last year, and who so interestingly conducted himself at the exhibition-master Reid.

Some days after this Dr. Davies, the head master, thought proper to order an absence to be called on Saturday, between the hours of four and eight.

On receiving the information, the boys began, as usual, first by grumbling, and then looking at each other to examine countenances: finding there was a general disapprobation, one ventured to propose opposition; they all immediately assented. It was then agreed, and with some prudence, that none but the fifth-form boys, (excepting the collegians) should absent themselves from school the next morning; but that the others should attend during the forenoon exercises and wait the result: all was arranged: I was present at the first attendance of the collegians without the oppidanes.* The master on his

This college was originally founded by Henry the sixth, for the perfect education of seventy-two children with little expense to their parents-its celebrity so quickly increased, and

entrance, gave us his usual welcome, a "hem," and told us to begin: the exercises passed over without a word indicating surprise or alarm from him. There was not an oppidane present. One of my most respected friends; so from early infancy; long after I arrived in this country; and who, I hope, will remain so till death; then lord Clifton, now the earl of Darnley, was, if not the only, nearly the only one who did not join in the rebellion. He did not attend the school, but was detained by his private tutor at his house; and a message was sent to inform Dr. Davies of his being there-his excuse was of course accepted.

I may here introduce an anecdote rather, perhaps, ludicrous: my wife's father before I married, was rector of Cobham, part of the estate of lord Darnley; a lady dying, left a handsome sum of money to the church, upon condition that she should have a little cabin built in one corner of the aisle, which should have a glass door, shutting with a spring, with the key on the inside and a green curtain; her coffin with such a spring, was to be placed on two tresses, and there she was to remain till she chose to get up. The thing was done, I have seen it: whether this circumstance, or what other, created the difficulty, I know not, nor what part was taken on either side; but a law-suit ensued, the result of which I cannot ascertain. I can only say that I frequent

so many were sent, that admission could not be obtained for them within the walls of the college-they were allowed to partake of the instruction, but were obliged to board and lodge in the town; thence they were called oppidanes, to distinguish them from those who resided in the college upon the foundation of Henry the sixth.

ly heard my wife's father and herself say, that lord Darnley acted nobly during the contest.

The spies within, and the scouts without, having communicated, it was determined that the fourth-form, or class, should withdraw from the afternoon exercises; they accordingly did, and betook themselves to SaltHill and other adjoining places of accommodation.

Still the master appeared firm. The boys in the evening, on agreement, determined that the third-form of the lower school should abscond the next morning, and come in a body to Salt Hill, and place themselves under the protection of the fifth-form-this produced some alarm; but finding, at twelve o'clock, that nothing was done or offered, they ordered the second form to come in the afternoon. These orders were rigidly obeyed. Here arose a fear lest the first-form, consisting of children from six to eight years of age, should be withdrawn also. A promise of general pardon was offered on their return, on condition that a certain number, four of the ringleaders, should be punished. The question in dispute, the absence, was to be left to the decision of the master; with some lateral hints, that if we returned quietly to our duties, all should remain as formerly; the additional absence was nominally continued, but never after, as I believe, put in force.

Were he not living, I would here relate one of the most generous and noble acts, performed by the present earl of Darnley on this occasion; but real virtue, like the Mimosa, shrinks from the touch of praise, and I would not cause him pain.

I have now to mention one of the most important occurrences (to myself) that took place at Eton-I was

about fifteen years of age-but I must preface it. My father being distantly engaged in public business, desired me to spend the vacation at his seat at Luton, in Bedfordshire (the seat on which Pomfret wrote his Choice") with my mother and children. I did so.— When the vacation was nearly over, after preliminary correspondence and agreements, I set off to London on the Saturday, to pass my time till Monday, when the college opened, at the house of an aunt, the widow of captain Matteate Brady, whom I have already mentioned, in London. My kind aunt, anxious to provide me with such entertainment as she thought would be most congenial to my feelings, had invited a party of young ladies to a dance, independent of one who was then on a visit to her; we passed the evening very pleasantly, excepting that now and then I felt certain emotions never felt before, that puzzled me; for a long time I harassed my brains, till at last I found that I had fallen desperately in love with my partner, the young lady who resided with my aunt, and so strong continued the attachment, that instead of returning to Eton on the Monday, I stayed till Wednesday, employing my time in writing love-sick songs.

There was once, and there may be still, an academy of apathists in Italy; at one meeting this question was proposed:-" Which are the more handsome eyes in woman, black or blue?" Some contended that blue eyes were entitled to pre-eminence, because their colour resembled that of the heavens, and their beams were soft and mild; they who advocated black eyes, contended that their fire was more brilliant, that their effect was more striking, and that the contrast they afforded to the

whiteness of the skin, was wonderful in its operation at the first view.

How the contest of the apathists was decided, I cannot tell, but this I can say, that in my estimation of the comparative beauty of eyes, I have always given the preference to those which looked most favourably on myself, whether they were gray, brown, blue or black. Our ideas of beauty in general, differ as essentially; scarcely have any two persons congenial sentiments on this subject. When Aristotle was asked why people were so fond of beauty, he replied, "it was a blind man's question."

At last I was forced away to the stage, and in it, as it rolled me to an increased distance from my love,

I sigh'd, and look'd back

Sigh'd, poor me! oh lack!

At length with sighs and thoughts, too much oppressed,
I loll'd my head, and sought in sleep some rest.

This can be effected in a mail stage in England, where the reserved unsociability of passengers prevents them from opening their mouths.

As it takes about three or four hours to travel from London to Eton, I will leave the foolish boy asleep, dreaming on the vanity of vanities, and indulge in the relation of a few remarks I have made.

A stage-coach in America, is an excellent school of improvement to any one desirous of being improved. I have tried the scheme frequently: each one is solicitous of talking on the subject he is best acquainted with; awaken him to that, and doing so with all, were you the best informed man in the world, you will gain instruction. One comes from a country or state you